Contentious Probate

What is contentious probate?

Disputes often arise after a person’s death. These can be a for a variety of reasons such as a dispute regarding the capacity of the deceased to make a Will, the handling of the administration of an estate, a dispute over the value of an estate, a disagreement on the interpretation of a Will, or a disagreement between the executors and beneficiaries of a Will. Resolving these issues is known as contentious probate.

We recognise that having time to grieve for the loss of a loved one is important and that this can be helped or hindered by the actions of others. By taking legal advice you can remove a lot of misunderstanding, frustration and cost at a sensitive and emotional time.

How can SAS Daniels help with contentious probate?

There are often a number of unanswered questions, such as:

Why was nothing left to me in the Will?

Why did their house not pass to me?

Did they make a ‘Homemade Will’ and is it valid?

Many questions can be answered and explained very quickly. Others are more complicated but with our specialists team’s help we can give you the advice that you need to move forward. It’s important to remember that often a reply to one letter will give you peace of mind and that most cases can be resolved amicably.

There are many types of contentious probate disputes and our specialist team can advise you on:

Our Dispute Resolution team can give you the help and guidance you need, whether you believe an issue affects you and you want to know how to proceed, or whether you are facing a claim and do not understand what to do next. Our advice can make sure that your disputes are resolved and that your stress is reduce at what is no doubt a difficult time.

Contact us:

For more information on our Contentious Probate service or any advice, please contact us via our contact form or call us on 0161 475 7676.

Caroline Hewitt

“Thank you for the very efficient manner in dealing with the estate; it eased hugely the stress of being an executor at a challenging time,”

Tony Maguire

“SAS Daniels LLP is ‘large enough to have the expertise in-house but not too large to lose the personal touch which is so important to clients. The team is technically extremely capable and all team members have an excellent bedside manner’.”

Legal 500, 2018

“A great team and excellent communication skills.”

Mark Anderson

“Helen Gowin has done an excellent job looking after my husband’s estate. I am extremely grateful to her for what they did on my behalf & would certainly use SAS Daniels for any further work I might need.”

Beryl Casswell

“I would like to thank you so much for all the work you have done. You made it so much easier for me to understand the complexities and I appreciate very much that there were no death duties to pay, undoubtedly due to your skill and understanding of the law.”

We care

We have re-homed a number of pets for people who have died – we appreciate they are also a key member of your family and need looking after.

Support

We act as executors for clients who have no close family and will liaise with funeral directors to arrange the funeral and arrange for the wishes of the deceased to be carried out after their death.

Flexible

We are flexible in our working hours to make the process of signing papers and discussing estate administration easier for clients who may need to travel a distance.

FAQs

How long does it take to get a Grant of Probate?

There are a number of steps to be taken in dealing with an estate and each estate can vary widely depending on the nature of the assets, the value of the estate, how quickly institutions respond to queries and also...

If I die, everything will go to my spouse automatically so I don’t need a Will?

If you die without a Will, your estate is dealt with in accordance with the rules of intestacy and who your estate passes to will depend on the value and the members of your family.

When do I pay inheritance tax?

The current threshold (nil rate band) for when an estate pays inheritance tax is £325,000 and anything over and above that will be taxed at 40%. However, since the Finance Act 2008, a married couple will be able to combine...

What do I need to do when someone dies?

There are a number of steps to take immediately after a death, including registering the death and contacting the executors if the deceased made a will. See the attached Probate Checklist for more information on the estate administration process and...